Elio – Budget of $150 million – 1 hour and 38 minutes
| Blu-rayTM | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 Not Available Yet |
 |
 |
| Digital | |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
Elio hides under the table as his aunt Olga orders food from the Montez Air and Space Museum cafeteria. Elio overhears Olga telling another officer that she won’t join the astronaut program because she has to care for him since her brother and sister-in-law died. Olga looks under the table, and Elio is gone. She searches the museum and finds Elio listening to a presentation about the Golden Record. He ponders if there are others out there. It will be a place he could finally fit in.
Elio stakes out places near the Montez Air Force Base to be abducted. One night, Bryce joins Elio on the beach with his hand radio. He saw Elio’s radio club flyers around the base. Elio grabs it to daisy chain it to his for a stronger signal. Bryce asks about the other club members when Bryce’s friend, Caleb, joins them. Elio hears a strange signal coming from the radio, and Caleb pulls the radio from Elio’s hands, and they fight. The device hits Elio in the eye, and all three boys return to the base.
Major Olga is furious because Elio skipped school and got into a physical altercation. She tells Elio to wait in her office so she can attend a short meeting. Olga doesn’t see Elio slip in behind her and hide in the trash can. A contractor, Gunther Melmac, picked up a signal from outer space. It’s the same sound Elio heard from his radio. Melmac believes it’s aliens and is ready to send a signal back. Olga tells Melmac to take a two-week vacation. Everyone leaves. Elio jumps out of the trash, records a message for aliens to abduct him, and sends it. It shuts down the base.
At her wits’ end, Olga takes Elio to a summer academy to curb his behavior. She promises it will do wonders for him, like it did for her. Caleb and Bryce spot Elio’s arrival, and Caleb plots his revenge. Caleb, Bryce, and two other boys pull Elio out of his tent. Elio closes his eyes in anticipation of Caleb’s punch. But it doesn’t come. Elio opens his eyes and sees the world around him frozen. He wiggles out of the boys’ clutches, and a green beam lifts him off the ground. Elio cheers as he floats to the ship.
Ooooo, a liquid supercomputer, greets Elio and introduces him to the leaders of the Communiverse. Ambassadors Questa, Helix, and Tegmen greet Elio, assuming he’s the leader of Earth. They are willing to accept him as a member of the Communiverse but squirm over their second visitor, Lord Grigon. The Ambassadors don’t believe Grigon is tolerant of others and won’t welcome him. Grigon threatens to make them all pay before leaving. They prepare for a fearful retreat and inform Elio that he must return to Earth. Elio can’t bear the thought of being alone again and offers a trade. He will broker a deal with Grigon, convincing him to not attack the Communiverse. The Ambassadors love the idea of not running away from a bully. They agree to let Elio stay if he persuades Grigon to leave the Communiverse alone. Will Elio save the Communiverse and find a place where he belongs?
This Pixar film covers acceptance and belonging while honoring a parent’s sacrifice and understanding. Elio focuses on space because he feels abandoned on Earth. He lost his parents, and his aunt is overwhelmed. He knows she gave up her dream for him and feels the weight of that guilt. Olga begs Elio to make friends on Earth while offering unrecognized parental love. Grigon desires to be a part of the Communiverse without diminishing his need to conquer. And Grigon’s son, Glordon, is a combination of all three. He is a lonely alien who misses his mother. He understands his father cares for him, but doesn’t feel accepted. It’s no wonder he brings everyone together. Emotions aside, this film is visually splendid. The animators didn’t use alien stereotypes. They created something new and unique. You will want to see the aliens’ home planet and learn more about them. It’s easy to see how this movie can grow and expand into a series on the Disney Channel. The scenes on Earth are so grounded that they make the Communiverse more vibrant. While the story will not make you cry, it does connect to the audience. There aren’t any sly adult jokes, but this picture is funny. This film is confusing because it lacks a classic villain, leaving the plot more complex. Young viewers will enjoy it, but won’t comprehend the message. Overall, Elio is an entertaining but elaborate film for the entire family. It has stellar visuals and a mid-credit scene.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
A father always knows – Lord Grigon
Don’t leave me. Please – Elio
On three, throw your ice cream – Olga
Now, tell me everything – Glordon
Why did he make another hole? – Tegmen
We are very pleased to make your acquaintance – Questa
We are going ham – Melmac
| Blu-rayTM | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Not Available Yet |
|
|
| Digital | |||
|
|
|
|
Share this:
Categories: Brad Garrett, Brandon Moon, disney, Elio, In The Theater, Jameela Jamil, movie, pixar, Remy Edgerly, review, Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña
thatdarngirlmovie.reviews 